Papagayo
Sesbania sericea
- Native to:
- Angola, Benin, Burundi, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen
Lycogalus
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Sesbania
- Species:
- Sesbania sericea
- USDA Symbol:
- SESE7
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Dichomeris acuminatus
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained alluvial soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in riverbanks and floodplains
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification; hot water treatment or mechanical scarification improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI